Chapter 54
"Now, your highness," Ferreus said smugly as he shoved her back into the small room where they had sat earlier. "About our discussion."
Leia sat with arms folded, legs crossed, doing her best to master the trembling she felt throughout her. The image of Han in agony would not leave her mind, his screams still echoed in her ears. What good was all the Jedi training she'd received now when she was helpless to stop him from suffering so?
"We have nothing to discuss," she finally said, her voice full of anger and pain.
Ferreus smiled. "Oh but we do," he replied, leaning back in his chair easily. "We do. My master seems to think that you are of vital importance, you and your twin brother."
Leia did her best not to react to the mention of Luke. Luckily Ferreus' ability to read the thoughts and emotions of others was rather unimpressive, and she managed to appear unaffected by his statement.
"In fact," Ferreus went on, doing his best to get to her, "he has promised me a great reward when I bring your brother to him. And that reward is you, my pretty little princess."
Ferreus' thoughts were easily read, and they repulsed Leia. "It is a shame you shall never live to collect your reward," she said at this point, using the Force to calm herself. "For should you ever cross paths with my brother, he will remove that smug look from your face permanently."
To her surprise, Ferreus merely laughed and stood up. "You know, I do have to say, Princess Leia," he said as he walked around to behind her chair. "That I admire a woman with spirit." He bent down so that he was right behind her. Leia felt his breath upon her neck, and did her best not to shudder visibly by his close proximity. When he reached his hands up to place them on her shoulders, it was all she could do not to jump out of her seat. "You know, Princess," he said, running a finger down one side of her neck slowly. "I don't believe I've ever had a member of a royal household before," he said lecherously. "I'm looking forward to it a great deal."
Leia closed her eyes and focused on the living Force in an effort to calm herself. The man's intentions were clear; but Leia was not totally defenseless. Having had an opportunity to study her opponent now, she had a feeling that her Force abilities, even at their early stage, were at least a match for Ferreus'. She decided it was time to test her theory. She lifted a hand and summoned the Force, sending Ferreus back against the wall. Leia sprang to her feet and made it to the doorway. Ferreus, stunned momentarily by her surprising attack, lunged after her angrily. Leia screamed as she felt him grab her by the arm, ripping the fabric of her sleeve.
"You little bitch!" Ferreus roared as he pushed her against the floor with the Force. "You'll regret that!"
Leia tried to free herself, but Ferreus' anger was great, and so the Dark side held her firm to the floor as he advanced upon her menacingly. "You'll pay for your foolishness, little princess," he said as he bent down to her, grasping the fabric of her jacket with one hand. Passersby in the corridor looked with shock for a moment as they saw the commotion, but the feral look on Ferreus' face was enough to stop them from interfering as he dragged her back into the room. He'd almost succeeded when a voice was heard that stopped him.
"Release her!"
"Obi-Wan!" Leia cried as she saw her master standing before them, lightsaber in hand.
"Run, Leia," he commanded her, his voice strong with authority and the Force. Leia took advantage of Ferreus' momentary distraction to escape his grasp and scramble to her feet. She raced to Obi-Wan and embraced him tightly, the fear she was filled with spilling out of her.
"You're safe now, Leia," Obi-Wan told her, not taking his eyes off of Ferreus' for a moment. "Take this," he said, handing her a blaster. "I will deal with this monster, go and find help."
Leia hated to leave him alone, but reasoned that he was more capable of handling Ferreus than she was. Brushing the tears from her face, she pulled the ripped fabric of her jacket together and took off down the corridor, leaving her master to fight the vile Sith.
Anakin, Padmé and Luke entered Cloud City, armed and on high alert. They had spotted the Imperial star destroyers in orbit and it had taken Anakin's Force abilities and knowledge of Imperial procedures in order to bypass them undetected.
"I sense Obi-Wan," Anakin said, standing and focusing on Kenobi's presence. He frowned as he sensed a great disturbance, as he sensed the great waves of terror and pain emanating from his daughter. He turned and looked at Luke, his blue eyes narrowed. "You two find Leia," he said. "I have someone to deal with."
"Anakin wait!" Padmé cried, but he ran off down the corridor without a second look back.
"Come on, Mom," Luke said, taking Padmé's hand. "Dad can take care of himself. We need to get to Leia."
As Leia had made her way back to the detention block, she came across Threepio wandering aimlessly about, not really knowing where to go. When he saw her he was relieved beyond relief.
"Mistress Leia!" he exclaimed. "Where have you been?"
"Find out where they're holding Chewie," she told him. "And come help me!"
"But! But!" Threepio sputtered. "Oh!" he said peevishly, not understanding the completely irrational behavior of humans.
When she reached the area where Han was being held captive, she saw Boba Fett and Lando Calrissian standing outside the room in conversation. When Fett saw her approaching, he raised his blaster to fire, only to have Lando give his arm a shove, forcing him to misfire and causing his blaster to fall to the floor. Leia, though surprised by Lando's move, took advantage of it and fired at Fett, hitting him squarely in the chest. The blast merely deflected off of the armor, and so Leia fired again, and again, the impact sending Fett back against the wall, but not injuring him. He raised one arm to shoot at Leia with the rocket blaster situated on his forearm. He got off a couple of shots, which Leia managed to dodge.
"The neck, Leia!" Lando shouted. "Aim for the neck!"
Not giving Fett a chance to shoot with the other arm, Leia aimed squarely for his throat, causing him to splutter and gurgle horrifically as his own blood strangled him. "See you in hell, scum," Lando spat as the body of the nefarious Fett tumbled to the floor.
"This way," Lando told Leia, as she stared at the bloody body on the floor.
It had all happened so quickly that Leia had no choice but to accept Lando's help, and merely nodded as he took her hand and headed down the corridor. Clones were on guard outside Han's cell, and were quickly dispatched by Leia and Lando.
Leia burst into the room, ready to kill anyone who stood between her and Han, only to find him alone, lying on a hard bench.
"Han!" she cried as she rushed to him while Lando covered the door.
Han opened his eyes, and when he saw Leia he tried to smile. "I feel terrible," he said weakly.
Leia stroked his hair gently, the tears streaming down her face. "I was so scared," she whispered, the feelings she had been trying to deny for so long bubbling to the surface. She pressed her face to his. "I was so scared I'd lose you."
Han smiled wanly. "I'm not goin' anywhere, sweetheart," he assured her. "Just need a little rest, that's all." The faint smile he wore faded when he saw the bruises on her face and her torn clothing. Frowning, he struggled to get up on one elbow. "Who did this to you?" he demanded angrily. "Who?"
Leia shook her head. "Never mind me," she said, pushing him back down gently. "I'm fine. Obi-Wan has arrived, he'll help us get out of here."
Han rested back on the bench, the frown not leaving his face. "I should have listened to you," he told her, reaching up and lightly touching her battered face. "Next time I don't, I give you permission to kick me square in the cocky Corellian butt."
Leia couldn't help but laugh at him, and a rush of emotion filled her. She bent down and kissed him softly. "I love you, Han," she told him, stroking her hair. "I know that sounds crazy, but I do."
Han smiled. "Doesn't sound so crazy to me," he replied, closing his eyes. "I'm a pretty loveable guy."
"Princess, we have visitors."
Leia looked over at the door to where Lando stood just in time to see her brother and mother enter the room.
"Leia!" Padmé exclaimed, seeing her daughter for the first time.
"Mother!" Leia cried, running to her mother. They embraced tightly, Leia crying with relief and pent up emotion.
"You okay?" Luke said to Han who had managed to sit up by this point with Luke's assistance.
Han nodded. "Yeah, I think so," he said. "How did you know to find us here? No, let me guess. The Force."
Luke smiled. "Where's Chewie? He okay?"
"I …I don't know," Han said, still disoriented. "Your dad here too?"
"He's gone after someone," Luke said. "I don't know who."
"Ferreus," Lando told them. "The bastard who set all this up," he went on. He looked at Leia. "The one who attacked you, Princess."
Leia nodded her understanding, a grim smile of satisfaction on her face. "Well he has no idea what he's in for," she said. "He doesn't know that Anakin Skywalker is alive and well."
Padmé looked at Lando. "Who is this Ferreus?" she asked suspiciously.
"Palpatine's new apprentice," Leia told her mother. "A Sith, or a Sith pretender," she said. "He won't last five minutes with Dad, assuming Obi-Wan hasn't killed him already."
"Ben is here?" Luke asked.
Leia nodded. "He saved me," she told her brother. "If it hadn't been for him…" she stopped as she realized how close she had come to being raped by the villainous Ferreus. "He came just in time."
"Maybe I should go and help him," Luke said, standing up. "You stay here with Leia," he told his mother.
"I'm afraid no one is going anywhere," an officer at the doorway said as he appeared with a phalanx of storm troopers. "At least, not at the moment."